HCM City (VNA)﷽ - Ho Chi Minh City will implement different measures to promote the digital economy, with the goal that it will contribute 20% to the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2025, and 40% by 2030.

In 2021, for the first time, Ho Chi Minh City assessed the contribution of the digital economy to its GRDP from a scientific research perspective, at 15.38% (excluding e-commerce and sharing economy). The figure was estimated at 18.66% in 2022, and is expected to reach 22% in 2024. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, said that the Politburo’s Resolution 31/2022 assigned the city the task of becoming the flagship center to lead the nation into a digital economy by 2030. The city has proactively carried out measures to promote the digital economy. It has also integrated solutions into digital economic development targets in the municipal Party Committee's resolutions and the city's annual socioeconomic development programme, said Thang. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is developing digital infrastructure, promoting non-cash payments in many fields, especially administrative procedures, education, health care, and transportation. However, awareness in many places, many levels, and many sectors is still insufficient. Measurement methods and tools are not consistent, and policies and resources to support small and medium-sized enterprises are lacking, Thang pointed out. Ha Than, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Computer Association, proposed the city consider choosing priority economic sectors to focus on digital transformation, and have a roadmap for digital transformation to help the public gain more experience on digital economic and digital administration. Meanwhile, Professor-Dr. Tran Minh Tuan, Director of the Department of Digital Economy and Digital Society under the Ministry of Information and Communications, advised the city to promote digital economic development in key areas such as processing, manufacturing, garment and textiles, logistics, agriculture and services. According to the Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, to promote the digital economy, since the beginning of 2024, the city has implemented measures and policies to support small- and medium-sized enterprises, business households and individuals through training and consulting activities, and assisting the use of digital platforms at low prices. The city focuses on supporting and encouraging digital technology businesses to develop further, creating motivation to promote enterprises in different economic sectors to speed up digital transformation, developing new production and business models based on digital technology platforms, and improving the investment environment and operations at the hi-tech park, added Thang./.